1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a finger unit for a robot hand.
2. Description of the Related Art
Finger units used in robot hands are commonly configured with multiple joints. Conventionally, crank mechanisms, worm gears, wire and sheave systems, combinations of screws with rack and pinions, and other structures have been employed in order to convert rotation that is output from the rotational output shaft of an actuator of a multiple joint finger unit into the rotational movement of a joint shaft perpendicular thereto. However, problems are presented with all of these configurations, such as the large dimensions required for the joint part. Additionally, conventional fingers for the most part have joints that, when linked to other fingers, only bend to the inside of the hand. Complications arise when the fingers are made to perform cooperative tasks therebetween or to perform a variety of other movements in association with the palm of the robot hand.
In view of such problems, the present inventors proposed in JP-A 2004-122339 a finger unit that moves in a manner much faster and much more precisely than the operation of organs of human body which begins with visual awareness, and is suited for use in robot hands.